Jay-Z Reveals His Mom Is a Lesbian on ‘Smile’

Jay-Z Reveals His Mom Is a Lesbian on ‘Smile’

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The more you listen to JAY-Z‘s new album 4:44, the more you’ll find to enjoy. Take, for instance, what might be the most heartwarming moment on the whole LP—when, on “Smile,” Hov tells the world his mom Gloria Carter is actually a lesbian.

“Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian/Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian,” spits Jigga toward the end his first verse on the track. “Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate/Society shame and the pain was too much to take/Cried tears joy when you fell in love/Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her/I just wanna see you smile through all the hate/Marie Antoinette, baby, let ’em eat cake.”

The admission makes his mother’s outro on the song that much more meaningful: “Can you imagine what kind life it is to live?/In the shadows people see you as happy and free/Because that’s what you want them to see/Living two lives, happy, but not free.”

If you haven’t heard it, listen to Hov’s new album right here and peep what people are saying about it on social media below.

You can also watch the first video f the album for “The Story O.J.,” read Jay’s breakdown each song on the album, and check out all the samples used by No I.D. across the LP.